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MARICA SABINI. 
(CAPTAIN SABINE’S MARICA.) 
CLASS. ORDER. 
TRIANDRIA. MONOGYNIA. 
NATURAL ORDER. 
IRIDEiE. 
Generic Character. — Flowers with six petals, three inner and three outer, — the outer ones much larger 
than the inner ones, — the latter usually somewhat curled. Style short. Stigma like three petals, 
coloured, segments undivided. Capsules three-celled. 
Specific Character, — Leaves spear-shaped, very slightly ribbed, yellowish green, stigmas united ; the 
same kind of blue colour as the petals; outer petals very rich purple blue, inner ones much curled, and 
beautifully marked with dark blue ; cup, or centre of the flower, richly streaked with brown on a 
yellowish ground ; scape many-flowered ; spathe not viviparous. 
The species of this genus are both curious and beautiful: the Northiana , 
ccerulea, and the present subject, are particularly handsome, and are usually free 
flowerers : both the Sabini and ccerulea are now in flower at Chatsworth, in our 
stoves. All the genus thrive in a mixture of sandy peat and light loam ; and, with 
the exception of M. semi-aperta, they all require the heat of the stove. There is a 
remarkable peculiarity in the M. Northiana , which must not be passed over. The 
spathes are viviparous ; that is, they produce young plants within them. The 
flower stem bends backwards, until it usually touches the ground. The flowers 
are very handsome, and are produced pretty freely when the plant is properly 
treated ; but if allowed to remain amongst green-house plants, it will sometimes 
continue for years without showing any disposition to flower. The best way is 
to keep it in the stove, and whilst growing give it a -good supply of water ; and, 
as the suckers appear, strip them off. It rarely produces seeds, but is very readily 
increased by suckers and off-sets. Some species, however, will produce seeds if the 
stigmas are fertilised with pollen at the proper time. The best time to sow the 
seed is as soon as it is gathered, in the same kind of soil in which the plants 
I are potted ; and if the pots in which they are sown be plunged in a dung-bed, or 
bark-bed, they will soon vegetate. 
The present subject was introduced to the Horticultural Society Gardens, in 
1822, and was named by Dr. Lindley in honour of Captain Sabine. The flowers 
possess a superior richness to the M. ccerulea. but are inferior in point of size. They 
emit a delightful fragrance during the time the flowers are expanded. 
